Tibet
Tibetans

Conch shell, gilt gold, green stone
Early-Mid 20th century
Length: 9.5 in; Width: 4.25 in; Depth: 3.75 in
Aerophones – Wind Instruments Proper – Lip Vibrated

This is a gilted gold conch shell trumpet with floral and dragon raised design on exterior. The interior shell is a marbled peach color, and the closed end/tip of the shell is inlaid with a light green stone. The name dung dkar, literally means ‘white conch’ and is formed from a white conch shell  (“śaṅkha”), which is the Sanskrit word for the conch shell.  It is an end-blown lip-vibrated aerophone that is associated with Tibetan Buddhism.  

The dung-dkar has been used as a religious instrument throughout the recorded history of religious music in Tibet.  Before Buddhism was introduced to Tibet the religion was the shamanistic ‘Bon’, and the dung-dkar was used to invoke and call the spirits to help grow cattle or food and even banish evil spirits that caused illness and destruction. Nowadays the dung-dkar is mainly found only in Buddhist monasteries and performances and is very rarely used as a secular instrument.  The sound of the dung-dkar is a “symbol of the proclamation to the world of Buddhist law” (Grove Music Online, 2006) and is played in pairs in orchestras or to summon the public to certain ceremonies.  If the dung-dkar is used for summoning, the players will play the instruments from the top of monasteries facing towards each of the four points of the compass in turn.

An example of the dung-dkar being used in an ensemble situation is a traditional offering to Buddha, where the instrument is accompanied by the ‘sil-snyan’ (small cymbals) and the ‘mchod-rnga’ (offering drum). The sound of the ensemble is said to make the ghosts panic and Buddha happy.  

Resource: Dung-Dkar : definition of Dung-Dkar and synonyms of Dung-Dkar (English) (sensagent.com)